Town News Briefing

April 17, 2002

HARTFORD

Applicants Sought

For Scholarship

College-bound high school seniors from Hartford can compete for the third Wallace Stevens Scholarship Competition, with prizes of a $1,000 scholarship, a clothbound copy of Stevens' Collected Poems and a book by a major contemporary poet.

Applications are due Oct. 15. and should be sent to Dennis Barone, St. Joseph College, 1678 Asylum Ave., West Hartford 06117. The competition is sponsored by the Hartford Friends & Enemies of Wallace Stevens.

Hartford

Bookstore Owner

Receives Honor

Yolanda Allen, owner of the Eden Book Store at 680 Blue Hills Ave., Hartford, has been named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the Beta chapter of the Iota Phi Lambda Sorority.

A reception honoring her will be held at her store on Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon.

Bloomfield

Church To Present

Music Program Sunday

BLOOMFIELD -- The First Congregational Church will present ``Belles, Ballads and Buddies Steppin' Out on Broadway,'' Sunday at 4 p.m., at 10 Wintonbury Ave.

Tickets for the program, which is part of the church's Sunday Afternoons at 4 music series, are $10; $7 for seniors and students.

Proceeds will benefit Covenant to Care Inc.

For tickets and information, call 860-242-0776.

Windsor

Tickets Available

For House Tours

WINDSOR -- Tickets are on sale for the Windsor Historical Society's House Tour. Tickets for the April 27 event are $15 in advance, $18 the day of the tour.

This year's tour, which will include more than a half-dozen houses built between 1790 and 1930, will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Proceeds will benefit the 1758 Strong House, which is maintained by the society as a museum.

For tickets and information, call 860-688-3813, 860-688-2486 or 860-285-0029.

NEWINGTON

Hazardous Waste

To Be Collected

NEWINGTON -- The town is scheduled to collect household hazardous waste materials on May 4 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the town garage.

Officials are seeking volunteers to help with the collection and to assist elderly, disabled and homebound residents in ridding their homes of hazardous wastes.

Mercury-filled thermometers may be exchanged for free digital thermometers. Mercury-filled switches and thermostats also will be accepted.

Newington residents also may drop off materials at the other nine collection days scheduled in the greater Hartford area.

Residents who would like more information on these events, or who would like to volunteer for the May 4 collection day, may call the town health department at 860-665-8588.

NEWINGTON

Earth Day Cleanup

Scheduled April 27

NEWINGTON -- This year's annual Earth Day cleanup of town properties and roadsides is set for April 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Volunteers are asked to meet at 9 a.m. at Churchill Park on Main Street, where they will be assigned clean-up areas. Participants are asked to bring gloves and rakes. Trash bags will be provided.

Refreshments will be provided after noon.

For more information, call the town health department at 860-665-8588.

AREAWIDE

Telephone Pitch

Under Investigation

The pitch pulls at the heartstrings. After all, who wouldn't want to contribute to a fund that helps the families of dead police officers?

But a New Jersey-based telemarketing firm is under investigation by Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.

The firm, All-Pro Telemarketing Associates Corp., is doing business under the name Connecticut Police Officers Foundation. Its solicitors claim they are seeking money for the Connecticut Fraternal Order of Police, Gateway Lodge #21 in Stamford.

However, Blumenthal said, the money raised by All-Pro does not benefit any local police departments. ``Most of the money goes to the telemarketers, with the pennies left over for Gateway Lodge 21,'' he said in a press release issued last week. ``The telemarketing firm receives 82 cents for every dollar it raises in the name of the Fraternal Order of Police.''

Residents throughout the region reported receiving calls from the firm. Det. Sgt. Paul Melanson, president of the West Hartford police union, said residents should be wary.

``None of the money that's been donated to these people has come to West Hartford,'' Melanson said. His group, the West Hartford Police Union, Local 1283, does not conduct telephone solicitation drives. Instead, it sends letters to residents seeking contributions and explaining how the donations will be used, Melanson said.

SIMSBURY

Calling All Dogs

For Town Contest

SIMSBURY -- The town will be holding its first Top Dog Contest, which is open to all dog owners in Simsbury.

Simsbury dog tag license numbers 1 through 5 have been reserved for this contest. These tags will be awarded to the winners free of charge for one year. Tag No. 1 will be issued to the ``ugliest dog''; No. 2 to the ``dog that looks the most like its master''; No. 3 to the ``largest dog''; No. 4 to the ``smallest dog''; and No. 5 to the ``cutest dog.''

Applications and contest rules may be picked up at the town clerk's office during normal business hours. Dogs may be entered in only one category, and there will only be one winner per household.

Applications must be submitted to the town clerk's office by 4 p.m. on May 24. Winners will be notified on May 31 and need not be present.